Annoying Memories Return
by skyguyalltheway
Summary: A one-shot I wrote concerning old Ben, some old memories, and a certain golden protocol droid... Set during A New Hope.


**_A/U: I really need to get back to writing again. This is just a little idea I had while watching New Hope. Hope you enjoy it :)_**

**Annoying Memories Return**

Luke should be grateful that the former Clone Wars hero had shown up when he did . Had Obi-Wan not arrived, Luke most likely would've been killed by the sand people the same way his grandmother had been. The old Jedi bends over the boy to make sure he's all right.

Obi-Wan remembers his padawan in a situation similar to this one, and can't help but feel sadness. "I've failed you Anakin," he murmurs to the memory of the Tatooine-found boy. "But I won't fail your son."

In Obi-Wan's imagination, Anakin appears standing next to the carved stone of Tatooine.

One annoying memory has returned.

Obi-Wan, now called Ben, hears a soft, familiar beeping coming from the rock. He pulls the hood from his head and turns to see the blue astromech that he hasn't seen in about twenty years.

"Hello there!" Ben calls to Artoo-Detoo. "Come here my little friend. Don't be afraid."

The little droid waddles over to where the boy lies crumpled in a heap and begins to whistle his concern. Ben puts his hand on Luke's forehead and he begins to come around.

"Don't worry," Ben whispers to the droid as well as imaginary Anakin. "he'll be all right."

Luke half sits up and looks around in confusion, eliciting a snort from his father. "What happened?"

Ben ignores Anakin's reaction to his son's ignorance. "Rest easy, son, you've had a busy day. You're fortunate you're still in one piece."

"Rest easy?" Anakin teases him him. "Since when do you say that?"

"Ben?" Luke asks, finally realizing who saved him. "Ben Kenobi! Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"The Jundland wastes are not to be traveled lightly." Ben explains serenely. "Tell me young

Luke, what brings you out this far?"

"Oh, this little droid!" Luke explains.

"Nice going, Artoo." Anakin cheers on.

"I think he's searching for his former master..." Luke continues, not hearing the man in Ben's head. "I've never seen such devotion in a droid before...there seems to be no stopping him. He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"

Ben ponders this for a moment, scratching his scruffy beard. "My droid?" He thinks.

"He's not your droid, he's mine!" Anakin shouts.

Realizing that Luke is still expecting an answer about the name, Ben decides to play along. "Obi-Wan Kenobi...Obi-Wan? Now thats a name I haven't heard in a long time...a long time."

Luke, as ignorant as ever, speaks again. "I think my uncle knew him. He said he was dead."

Anakin snorts again. Shaking his head in wonder at the fact that this is his child.

"Oh, he's not dead," Ben says, trying to get the annoying image of his padawan out of his mind. "not...not yet."

"You know him!" Luke exclaims.

Anakin fake coughs. "Idiot."

"He's your son, and he can't hear you." Ben thinks. Outloud, he says, "Well of course, of course I know him. He's me! I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since oh, before you were born."

"I beg to differ, Master." Anakin interrupts. "He was already born. And remember when you went on those adventures with Ferus? My son was very much alive by that time."

Luke, once again oblivious to the fact that his father's memory constantly pesters the poor old man, keeps going. "Then the droid does belong to you."

"Don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." Ben says curiously, but more wondering how it ended up being the very droid his padawan once owned.

"Loved, Master. I LOVED that droid, not owned."

Ignoring Anakin's interruption, "Very interesting..."

Ben suddenly looks up at the overhanging cliffs.

Hurriedly, he explains, "I think we better get indoors. The Sandpeople are easily startled but they will soon be back and in greater numbers."

Luke sits up and rubs his head. Artoo lets out a pathetic

beep causing Luke to remember something. He looks around.

Ben is pretty sure he hears the boy exclaim, "Threepio!"

Oh no. He can't possibly be serious.

He can't mean–?

"You know who he means, Master." The imaginary Anakin grins at him.

Obi-Wan groans at the memory of the annoying, golden protocol droid but helps Luke find him anyway.

Little Artoo stands at the edge of a large sand pit and begins to chatter away in electronic whistles and beeps. Luke and Ben stand over a very dented and tangled Threepio lying half buried in the sand. One of his arms has broken off.

Luke tries to revive the inert robot by shaking him and

then flips a hidden switch on his back several times until

finally the mechanical man's systems turn on, much to old Ben's disgust.

Though Ben was rarely around the protocol droid- it had belonged to Senator Amidala, after all- he had been around the droid long enough to gain a certain hatred of the droid.

"Where am I?" Threepio asks. "I must have taken a bad step..."

"Can you stand?" Luke asks, oblivious to the fact that the old man next to him is considering destroying his droid. "We've got to get out of here before the Sandpeople return."

"I don't think I can make it." The golden droid complains.

"Good." Obi-Wan mutters, though nobody hears him.

"You go on, Master Luke. There's no sense in you risking yourself on my account. I'm done for."

Artoo beeps.

"No, you're not." Luke argues, though Ben wonders if he could Force persuade the boy to leave the droid behind.

"He's a Jedi's son, Master" Anakin reminds him. "Force persuasion wouldn't work."

Ben groans again but Luke doesn't hear it as he continues arguing with his droid. "What kind of talk is that?"

Much against Ben's will, he helps Luke as they bring the battered droid to his feet. Little Artoo watches from the top of the pit. Ben glances around suspiciously. Sensing something, he stands up and sniffs the air.

"Why are you sniffing the air? That's just weird, even for an old hermit." Anakin mutters.

"Quickly, son...they're on the move." Ben tells Luke. And leave the golden droid behind, he adds silently.

But yet again, Obi-Wan's mental note goes unheard and unfollowed.

"Why me?" He mutters as he leads the boy into his hovel. "I hate that droid."

For the last time, his imaginary padawan snickers. "Hate leads to the Dark Side, Master."


End file.
